10/7/2012: Generosity and Relationships
Luke 17:3-10 3 So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.” 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. 7 “Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (NIV) Radical generosity: generosity w/heart as well as with hand -> Forgiveness: a prime example of radical generosity with regard to relationships 1. Enormousness of forgiveness "Increase our faith!" *seven times: fullness, completeness; all you need/want beyond which there can be no more ** # as a symbol -> forgive despite the worst wrongs done to you *enormousness of the challenge because of the danger **Watch yourself (from bitterness and anger) Hebrews 12:15 **"A root of bitterness" **Leading to defilement **(same English root, anger twists people) wrath, wreath, writhe, wraith(ghost doomed to live in the past) 2. Practice of forgiveness Three things to do. Forgiveness is practiced before it's felt. #First, refuse to caricature them; instead, identify with them. Don't think yourself better; remind yourself of what you have in common (human, sinner) #Second, inwardly release the person from repayment and pay the debt yourself (some but not all is financial) #*Someone always pays #*Demanding payment makes you twisted in the long run #*Taking on the debt yourself will hurt in the short run, in the long run it's freedom #Third, will the person's good #*Matthew 18: Rebuking in love to "have your brother" #*You must inwardly forgive before rebuking 3. Key to forgiveness Seems impossible v.b. faith: In Jesus Servant metaphor: Refusing to forgive is like a servant acting like a king (v. 7-10) Combating phariseeism; wrong to demand anything from God We need to see a King acting like a servant Prayer of Confession: Jesus, you know the impurity of my affection, the narrowness of my sympathy, and the coldness of my love; take possesion of my soul and fill my mind with the image of yourself, break the stubbornness of my selfish will and mold me in the likeness of your unchanging love, O you who alone can do this; my Savior, my Lord, and my God. Amen. 'Prayer of Thanksgiving: ' Gracious Lord, we give you our thanks for calling us out of the darkness and into your glorious light. When we remember the price you paid, the dealth of your only Son, we can only wonder and marvel at the greatness of your love. We give our lives to you Lord, and pray that through your Spirit you would teach us how to live according to your will. Send us out now to love and serve you as faithful withnesses of your mercy. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.